Puppy Info...help!

[Sharieb]

Hello Everyone,

I was wondering if someone can help us with a few puppy questions. We have a 8 week old little fur baby at home, We just got him on Friday the 8th. (We also have a 14 month old skin baby). They absolutely LOVE each other.

I am in the process of Crate Training Diezel and he seems so unhappy in his crate at night.(the only time hes in there) Is there something that I can do to comfort him and settle him down to sleep better or more then an hour without crying.

During the day he lays on his huge pillow in the family room and loves that but its too big for the crate, so we have a smaller pillow in there.

Also, is there any recommendations on food. We have him on science diet for puppies but I have always fed our dogs ProPlan so not sure. I have heard that anything with "meal" such as Chicken Meal or Lamb Meal is bad for them ..any suggestions???.

And Lastly, What age is a good time to try and leash train him. he wants nothing to do with the leash, but walks right by us on our nightly walks if he doesnt have a leash or collar on....

He is the Smartest puppy I have ever seen. We tell him No, No and he just stops and moves on to the next thing that catches his eye..!!! Isnt afraid of the lawn mower or or even the Vacuum cleaner!!!!

Thank you for any recommendations and I WELCOME the puppy pointers!!!

Shar

 

[courtney323]

Also, is there any recommendations on food. We have him on science diet for puppies but I have always fed our dogs ProPlan so not sure. I have heard that anything with "meal" such as Chicken Meal or Lamb Meal is bad for them ..any suggestions???.

Actually, there is nothing wrong at all with "meal". What you want to stay away from, is meat "by product".

The following page has lots of information on choosing a quality dog food:

www.boxerworld.com/feeding

We do not want to see any by-products in the food, especially of un-specified source. The AAFCO definition of “chicken by-products” for example is “ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice.” Now some of that stuff is OK – nothing wrong with chicken necks. But it is impossible to ascertain the quality and most of the ‘good stuff’ such as hearts, livers, and kidneys don’t go into by-products, they are useful elsewhere, unless the quality is too low. By-products are really those parts that can’t be used anywhere else and a lot of it isn’t OK. Without any ability to determine quality, we prefer to avoid by-products

In reading the above posted link, you will also see that Science Diet and ProPlan are not very good quality kibbles. In terms of specific suggestions, if you do a search here on "premium kibbles" you will find lots of recommendations (try also searching "WDJ List")

Good luck

 

[sgbtab]

one good way to crate him would be to have the crate in your room. he might feel better with someone around.

courtney323 handled the food question but I will tell you that gracie had a problem with corn meal. she could not tolarate it.

as far as the leash I would put a light coller and leash on her around the house to get him use to it. just make sure you watch him so he does not get caught on anything.

one more thing that I found helpful was I never call him to me if he did something wrong. I always go to them this way he will always come to me

 

[Sharieb]

One More Question...

Has anyone ever used "bitter apple", I hear that you can spray it on your furniture that you dont want the puppy to chew on., I just dont know if it would hurt him ....or if it actually works????

We do have the crate in our bedroom and I end up more often then not laying next to the little one talking to him thru the cage until he settles down which can usually be about 30 minutes or so. he is just like my skin baby...maybe even better behaved!!! ..LOL

Thanks for all the tips. He is in today for his 2nd round of shots so we will see how he feels tonight.

Thanks
Sharie

 

[Laila/Cujo]

As far as the crate training at night, our Laila always cried through the night and she was also in our bedroom. What we did is took an old t-shirt or a towel and made sure our smell was on it. We put that in her crate at night and she slept the entire night and we have not had a problem since. Good Luck!!!! Hopefully you will get some sleep soon!!!!

 

[sgbtab]

bitter apple never worked for me. my dog's loved the taste.

 

[Sharieb]

Success!!!

Thank you so much for the suggestion of the T-shirt in his crate. I took a well broken in throw blanket and my husbands T-shirt and fixed him a nice little bed in his crate and he slept like a baby!!! Only got up twice for pottie and out like a light!!! That is a great idea I never would have thought of. I think he might have been a bit cold.

Thanks...I can now sleep more then an hour at a time!!

Shar

 

[Laila/Cujo]

I am so glad you had success!!!!!!!!!! That is wonderful to hear. Here's hoping for a lot more restful nights!!!!!!

 

[jchaney121]

I also tried the trick with an old piece of clothing--an old flannel robe. It makes for something comfortable to snuggle up to, and she has been sleeping well through the entire night!

 

[Lots]

Apple Bitter worked wonders here. Now if Sindee sees the bottle she will walk away from whatever object she is not supposed to be chewing on. She is seven months old and I only have to use it on the trash can lids now. She just cannot seem to resist putting her nose in the trash.
Good Luck
Tricia